


A Trope-ical Vacation

by ironicpotential



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Tropes, Undercover Missions, Undercover as Married, Undercover as a Couple, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:22:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25321594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ironicpotential/pseuds/ironicpotential
Summary: Something is up at the all-inclusive resort. Agent Danvers and Detective Sawyer are on the case.
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer
Comments: 40
Kudos: 210





	A Trope-ical Vacation

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift fic for Chey (@ cheybutgey)! Congrats on your trivia prize!
> 
> A very special thank you to my favorite editor and muse: my wife. She's the Maggie to my Alex and she helped with the story and took me on several vacations which inspired this fic in some way.

**Thursday**

“Ah, Detective Sawyer, thank you for joining us.”

Lieutenant Adams waves her into his office. He looks stressed, his brow furrowing as he thumbs through the mountain of paperwork on his desk. 

She’s not sure why she has been summoned. She already has three ongoing investigations that need her attention and judging by the presence of two suited agents in the room, this case is already covered. 

She sinks into an empty chair in front of his desk, sparing a glance at the female agent occupying the seat next to her. “Whatcha got Adams?” 

“Take a look at this.” He removes his glasses, rubbing at the bridge of his nose as he slides a packed case file across the desk for her perusal. “We’ve received twelve separate reports in the past week of individuals who have come back from vacation having spent their entire life-savings.”

She takes the file and flips through numerous bank statements, police reports, and interviews from victims. 

It’s not out of the ordinary for someone to come back from vacation completely broke. All-inclusive resorts always have unexpected add-ons, but regretful tourists don’t usually get special attention from the NCPD— let alone the Feds. 

“There’s more to it?” she says, waiting for the catch. 

Adams’s chair creaks as he leans back, placing his glasses back on and thumbing the corner of his moustache. “Their bank statements show the transfer clearly. The entire sum gone in one transaction. We interviewed each and every person, but none of them remember doing it. They don’t remember their vacation _at all._ ”

“And the resort? What do they have to say?”

“Any attempt at contacting them has been unsuccessful.”

Ah, there it is. 

“That’s why it landed in our lap,” she says. 

This isn’t the first time she’s been called to assist other jurisdictions with cases that involve the unexplained. Science Divisions are still few and far between. In fact, National City has the only dedicated division on the west coast.

“Doesn’t explain the suits.”

“This will be a joint case. Undercover.” Adams glances at the female agent, who has barely moved the entire time he has been talking. “Agent Danvers will be with you in case there’s any alien angle. That’s her area of expertise.”

Maggie frowns. She’s used to the feds muscling onto her crime scene and taking all the credit, but the DEO is the worst. Now that they’ve been declassified, their treatment of alien suspects has lightened— Maggie no longer finds that her suspects have “disappeared” without a trace— but they still tend to shoot first and ask questions later. 

She’s never run into this Agent Danvers before, but if she is anything like her colleagues, they’re going to have a hell of a time staying off the radar. 

“Wouldn’t it be less obvious to send one person undercover?” she asks, “the science division can handle extraterrestrial cases just fine.”

“Normally yes, but this resort is primarily visited by couples and we were only able to book one room.” The older suited man leaning up against the door finally speaks up. Maggie presumes he must be Danvers’s boss. “In this case, you would raise more suspicion poking around on your own. You and Agent Danvers will be posing as newlyweds.”

Maggie’s head whips back to her Lieutenant. “Adams, come on-”

She doesn’t even know Agent Danvers. How can she be expected to keep up the charade of being married to her? To her credit, Danvers looks just as pleased with the idea as she feels. 

“I told you this was a terrible idea, J’onn,” Danvers scowls, crossing her arms against her chest. “I’ll just take Agent Schott.” 

The look that the taller agent— J’onn— gives Danvers leads Maggie to believe that they’ve had this same argument before. 

“We need the best for this mission and you and Detective Sawyer fit the bill. Plus, the tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, so you’re stuck with each other.” He raises an eyebrow as if daring Agent Danvers to try and argue.

Danvers slumps down into her chair defeated. 

“Fine,” she grumbles. 

“We made sure there’s two beds, don’t worry.” Adams’s moustache twitches, like he’s trying not to laugh. He turns back to Maggie. “You have your orders. Pack your bags, you’re headed to Hawaii.”

Maggie stands, “Yes sir.” 

“Oh and Sawyer,” Adams places a small box on his desk. “You’ll need these.”

She flips open the velvet top and her heart sinks. 

Nestled inside are two gold rings.

~

The prudent thing to do would be to spend the five and a half hour flight getting to know each other. Posing as newlyweds would require them to have at least some basic knowledge of likes and dislikes so that they can blend in. They’d need a cover story. But the minute they sit down in business class, Alex clamps a pair of noise-cancelling headphones over her ears. 

So much for a partnership.

Maggie sighs and wonders what she did to deserve being saddled with the prickliest agent on the DEO’s roster. 

“Danvers,” she says, waving her arm in front of the agent’s face. “Hey! Danvers!”

Danvers hangs the headphones around her neck, giving Maggie her full attention. “What?”

“Are you really gonna just ignore me the whole flight?”

“I wasn’t—” She pauses, lips pursed. Her eyes dart to the window, then back to Maggie. “Just until we’re up in the air.” 

The plane rumbles down the runway, picking up speed, and Danvers fits the headphones back on her head. Her eyes slip closed, her hands curling into fists in her lap. She takes a deep breath and holds it. 

_Oh._ Stoic Agent Danvers was afraid of flying. 

Maggie taps her thigh, offering her palm when Danvers opens one eye. Danvers hesitates for a second, but as the plane lifts off, she takes Maggie’s hand into a vice-like grip.

When they finally level out, Danvers withdraws her hand, the tension that had crackled around her lifting. 

“I apologize,” she says stiffly, removing the headphones and folding them back into her carry-on.

“It’s no problem.” Maggie drums her fingers against her knee. Now that she’s got Danvers’s attention, she can’t think of anything to say.

The drink cart rattles as the flight attendant glides down the aisle. “Anything to drink, ladies?” 

Danvers is quick to order. “Scotch.”

“And for you?”

Maggie watches as Danvers digs through her carry-on for her wallet, handing her credit card to the flight attendant. Drinking on the job isn’t a habit with her, but technically their mission hasn’t started and they’ve got hours before they’ll need to have their wits about them. “I’ll have the same.”

She leans over to grab her own card, but Danvers stops her with a hand on her shoulder. “Put it on mine, as well.”

The flight attendant nods and hands them both a miniature bottle of single malt scotch and a plastic cup before continuing down the aisle. 

“You didn’t have to do that,” Maggie says, even as she twists open the bottle and empties it into the cup, the amber liquid sloshing over the ice, “But thanks.”

Danvers shrugs and fixes her own drink. She takes a sip and grimances. “Not the worst whiskey I’ve had.”

Maggie tips her own glass back, the liquor burning down her throat. “It’s certainly not the best, Danvers.”

Danvers smiles over the rim of her cup. “It’s Alex, by the way.” 

“Maggie. I guess I can’t keep calling my wife by her last name, huh?” 

“I think that might raise a few eyebrows.” 

They share a laugh, the ridiculousness of the situation finally catching up with them. Suddenly the plane lurches and Alex grabs at Maggie’s arm. Even though the turbulence is minor, her breathing grows rapid, her fingernails pressing into Maggie’s skin. When Maggie meets her gaze, her eyes are wide with fear. 

“Hey, Alex, it’s going to be alright. Just focus on me.” Maggie assures her, and sure enough, the pilot’s voice crackles through the cabin, apologizing for the turbulence as the craft evens out again.

Alex knocks back the last of her whiskey and shudders. Maggie knows it isn’t her place to speculate, but she wonders what could have made Alex so skittish of air travel.

“Are you okay?” Maggie asks, once she sees Alex start to calm down. 

“I’m fine.” Alex turns to the window. Her voice is steady, but Maggie can see the anxiety in her reflection. 

“If you want to talk about it…” The offer hangs in the air, but Alex doesn’t respond.

She settles back in her seat and stretches her legs out, thankful for the extra room afforded to business class. She sends a silent “thank you” to the DEO Director for getting them an upgrade on miles.

Other than the turbulence, the flight has been fairly calm. Most of the other passengers are sleeping or watching movies, the only sound comes from the distinctive rattle of the drink cart as it continues its journey down the length of the aircraft. 

She’s flipping through the channels on her seat-back screen when Alex finally speaks up. “I don’t really like to fly.”

Maggie turns to her. She gets the sense that Alex has more to say, so she just waits patiently, tilting her head to encourage her to continue.

Alex chews at the inside of her cheek. When she does continue, her voice wavers, thick with emotion. “You remember that plane that almost went down in National City about six months ago?” 

“The one Supergirl plucked out of the sky?” Alex nods sharply and finally all the puzzle pieces fit together. “Oh. _Oh._ Danvers, you were on that plane?”

Alex takes a deep breath, expelling it slowly. “Yeah.” 

“I wouldn’t be the biggest fan of flying after that either.” 

Alex ducks her head, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I can handle it. I’ll be fine once we land…”

“I have no doubts.” She offers her hand again and Alex takes it, squeezing gently as if to say _thanks._ Now that Alex doesn’t have her fingers in a death grip, Maggie can appreciate how nice it feels. “We’ve got a couple hours, maybe I can distract you?” 

The seatbelt light finally flickers off and Alex’s shoulders relax. “I’d like that.”

In the dim light of the airplane cabin, she looks softer. It’s not that Maggie hadn’t noticed that Alex was an attractive woman before—of course she did, she’s only human—but she’d been trying to keep a professional distance. She hadn’t been sure what kind of agent she was: the kind that ran in guns blazing or the kind that knew how to run a proper investigation. She’s still not entirely sure, but Alex had revealed another side of herself. She’d been willing to share her insecurities with a near stranger, and that took bravery, something that drew Maggie in and made her look at Alex more closely. 

Maggie offers her most winning smile—the one that shows off her dimples—and says, “Tell me how we met.”

~

Maggie is thrilled when they finally touch down in O’ahu, but she isn’t able to stop and smell the sweet tropical air. They only have until Sunday to complete this mission and the sun is already beginning to creep its way towards the horizon. 

By the time they reach the resort, the darkened sky is blanketed with stars. But even at night, Maggie is taken aback by the beauty of the place. The resort itself is nestled between the ocean and the mountains, perfectly positioned to enjoy all the wonders that the island has to offer. The sea glitters under the moonlight and for just a moment, Maggie forgets that she isn’t here for pleasure. 

If she has to spend a weekend working undercover, she thinks, there are certainly worse places to be posted.

The taxi driver helps them remove their luggage from the trunk and they head into the main building. The minute they step through the doors, they’re greeted by two employees sporting matching tropical leaf print shirts who present them with leis and ferry them directly to the check-in desk. 

“Ladies! It’s so good to have you here.” The desk attendant grins down at them. He’s wearing the same shirt as the other two employees. “You must be Alex and Maggie Sanvers! What are you celebrating with us?”

Maggie glances at Alex, unsure who should start lying. 

“We, uh, just got married,” Alex says, holding up her left hand. One of the diamond-laden bands Adams had given them glitters on her ring finger.

The desk attendant lights up. “Your honeymoon! Congratulations!”

“Yes, my uh, wife and I are very excited.” Maggie twists her own band around her finger and she and Alex share a nervous smile.

“Well, let me just see what I can do to make your stay _extra_ special!”

“It’s really fine, you don’t have to do that,” Maggie tries to protest. They’re supposed to be laying low. Blending in. Not garnering any extra attention. “We’re on a budget and everything…”

The desk attendant waves his hand, dismissing the thought. “Oh no, it’s at no extra cost! Give me just a minute!” His fingers fly on the keyboard, tap tapping away as his smile grows impossibly wider.

“Alrighty, you two lovebirds have been upgraded to the _honeymoon_ suite.” He stresses the word, waggling his eyebrows at them. “Your room will be 208. That’s the first elevator on your left here. Take it all the way up and _bingo_ there you are! Everything is included so feel free to raid the mini-bar. We’ll see you at breakfast!” He finishes off his spiel with an exaggerated wink that makes Maggie’s stomach twist uncomfortably.

“Thank you so much.” Alex takes her bag in one hand and pulls Maggie towards the elevator with the other. “Come on _babe,_ weren’t you just telling me how tired you were?”

The attendant calls after them, “Would you like help with those? We would be thrilled to assist you in any way we can.”

Maggie trails after Alex, her own suitcase rumbling along behind her. She’d never had the opportunity to stay in a luxury resort like this before. Were all employees always this nice? Was he being _too_ friendly? Maybe he was on to them already.

She whips her head around, eager to reassure him and cast off any suspicion. “No no, we’ve got this. Got the whole weekend to relax, may as well do a little bit of work first right?”

To her relief, his smile remains plastered to his face. 

“Well alright,” he says as they duck into the elevator, “but don’t hesitate to give us a holler anytime! Morning, noon, or night!”

The elevator doors close and they both finally breathe a heavy sigh of relief.

~

Maggie isn’t sure what she expected a honeymoon suite to look like. She had known it would be fancy—every room in the resort is fancy—but this is truly decadent. 

Their room is situated on the ocean-facing side of the resort and the massive floor-to-ceiling windows reveal an unparalleled view of the beach as the sun slips fully under the horizon. 

Alex seems just as impressed, her gaze unable to settle on any one thing for too long. There’s a wide screen television mounted to the wall, a mini-bar stocked with top shelf liquor and a full bottle of champagne, and in the middle of it all is the biggest bed Maggie has ever seen. 

A single bed.

She puts off the implications of that for a moment, instead choosing to poke around the bathroom while Alex unpacks her suitcase. 

As expected, the luxury doesn’t stop with the bedroom. She runs her hand along the smooth granite counter, marveling at the size of the shower and the bathtub— both large enough for two. They’ve even been gifted a basket of complimentary spa items. Some shampoo, sunscreen, even a few bath bombs. She pops open the sunscreen and raises it to her nose. The scent of coconut and hibiscus is sweet; she feels herself relaxing. 

She might need to indulge in a soak before bed. 

She exits the bathroom, expecting to find Alex relaxing on the overstuffed couch, but instead she’s got one of the wall sconces open and the alarm clock is in pieces on the nightstand. It’s clear she has been busy while Maggie has been doing her own inspection.

Maggie raises an eyebrow. “What did the alarm clock do to you?”

“Security sweep.” Alex shrugs. “For bugs or cameras.” 

“Can’t be too careful,” she says with a smile.

Alex seems to appreciate this and proceeds to reassemble the room.

Maggie takes a seat on the bed and picks up the welcome packet that has been left on the duvet. She flips through the booklet, skimming through the offerings of massage treatments and excursions until she finds the page she’s looking for. “Looks like they’ve stopped serving dinner in the main restaurant. You want room service or-?”

Alex looks up from her work. “Yeah, okay. That sounds fine.”

Maggie scans the menu. “Pizza?”

“I love pizza.” 

“A woman with good taste.” 

She calls in the order and when it arrives, their dinner is wheeled in on a silver cart, accompanied by a single rose in a small vase, a small plate of chocolate covered strawberries, and yet another bottle of champagne. 

Alex raises an eyebrow when she sees the label. It’s not cheap champagne by any means. “When they say all-inclusive, I guess they really mean it.”

“Well, we can’t let it go to waste, can we?” Maggie loosens the cork until it springs out with a _pop._ She pours the champagne into two flutes and offers one to Alex with a flourish. “Would my wife like a glass?” 

Alex snorts, but takes the glass. “Should we make a toast?”

“I think we have to.” Maggie grins and raises her flute to the ceiling. “To us?”

“To us.” 

The flutes clink together and they both drink, silence falling over the room. Maggie’s gaze drifts from the champagne to the pizza and then to the absurdly large bed that she’s just now noticing is covered in rose petals. A laugh bubbles up from her chest, as if lifted by the champagne. Alex quickly joins in and soon they’re cackling together at the sheer absurdity of the situation they’ve found themselves in.

Two professional women who essentially know no more than each other’s names, enjoying what would otherwise be an incredibly romantic evening on a tropical island. 

Alex’s cheeks are tinged pink and the corners of her eyes crinkle as she smiles and Maggie feels her stomach flip. She doesn’t normally work well with partners, let alone with the feds, but somehow she thinks this will be different. 

As if she senses the change in atmosphere, Alex clears her throat, setting her glass down on her nightstand. “I’m going to change,” she explains as she grabs a bundle of clothes and disappears into the bathroom. 

Maggie cleans up the remnants of their dinner and unpacks her own suitcase while she waits for Alex to return. She finds the soft cotton shorts and the faded police academy shirt she’d packed to sleep in and climbs into bed, noting the softness of the sheets. She stares out at the night sky through the giant window. Below, the sea splashes up against the waves. Despite the sinister things the resort is surely hiding, it’s certainly beautiful.

Alex pads back into the bedroom in a pair of flannel shorts and a tank top and makes a beeline for the closet. She rustles around before pulling a large object down from the top shelf.

Maggie regards her curiously. “What are you doing?”

Alex looks down at the blanket in her hands, fingers toying with a frayed corner. 

“There’s only one bed,” she murmurs. 

“So you were going to sleep on the couch?” Maggie tilts her head. She had thought they’d been getting along fairly well since the flight, but maybe she’d read things wrong. “Danvers, this is a king. I know this situation isn’t ideal, but...”

“I just… I didn’t want things to be awkward.” Alex bites her lip, eyes darting from Maggie to the king-sized bed. “It’s- it’s fine. We can share.” 

“If you’re sure.” Maggie scoots over, giving Alex more space than she should need. The last thing she wants to do is make Alex feel uncomfortable.

Alex doesn’t respond, but Maggie feels the bed dip as Alex slips under the covers. She closes her eyes, letting her body relax. “Goodnight, Alex.” 

The light flickers out and they’re bathed in darkness. The soft puffs of Alex’s breath fill up the space between them, lulling Maggie to sleep. Just as she’s drifting off, she hears a soft, “Goodnight, Maggie.”

  
  


**Friday**

Their room is on the other side of the resort from the restaurant, which means they have to pass by dozens of beaming resort workers before Maggie is able to be properly caffeinated. She had tried to make a cup up in their room using the provided pods, but Alex had quickly vetoed her. She knows Alex is right in principle: if she’s going to be in Hawaii, she should really be drinking good coffee; but she’s starting to develop a headache from lack of caffeine. 

When they arrive, the restaurant is bustling and Maggie worries for a moment that she’ll have to wait even longer for her coffee, but a cheerful hostess ushers them over to a newly vacated table near the buffet.

“What can I get you dears to drink? Coffee?” She grins, holding up a carafe.

“Yes, please, for the both of us.”

Maggie hopes she doesn’t sound too desperate. 

The woman fills their cups and dances off towards the hostess stand. Maggie reaches for the cup, letting the steam waft into her nostrils. She’s about to take a sip when Alex kicks her under the table.

“Not yet,” Alex orders, “Keep an eye out for a moment.”

Maggie grumbles, but relents, setting her cup back down on the table as she surveys the restaurant. It seems like each member of the waitstaff has the same broad smile painted on their face. It gives Maggie the creeps. Other than that, nothing seems out of the ordinary. 

Out of the corner of her eye she spots Alex dipping a strip of paper in her coffee cup. Glancing furtively around to make sure she’s not being watched, she pops the strip into a small device in her lap. 

After a few beats, her mouth draws into a straight line and she nods sharply. “Okay, go ahead. It’s fine.”

“You suspect there might be something in the food?” she asks. The device Alex is hiding must be some sort of chemical analyzer. Clever. 

“Could be. Some off-world food has unintentional side effects on humans. Could explain the memory loss.” She looks thoughtful. “I’m going to quickly scan the buffet.” 

“Get me a bagel while you’re up? Double toasted?”

Alex makes a face, rolling her eyes as she stands. When she drawls, “yes, dear,” it’s laced with sarcasm.

Maggie takes a sip of her coffee. It may not have memory altering powers, but it’s certainly helping her brain boot up. 

Over by the toaster, Alex waits for her turn, tapping her sandaled foot on the ground. She’d chosen a brightly colored Hawaiian shirt half tucked into a pair of cut-off shorts for the day and while it isn’t the sort of outfit Maggie would have expected her to wear on her day off, it flatters her.

“I just can’t believe you!” A sudden elevated voice draws Maggie’s attention away from Alex and the buffet and towards a couple two tables away. 

A bearded man glances desperately around the restaurant, aware that they’ve attracted an audience. 

“Karen, come on let’s go back to the room,” he hisses, making eye contact with Maggie.

“Brad, we came here so we could rekindle our marriage and so you could stop gambling and cheating on me, but what did I find in our hotel room when I returned from yoga this morning? Another woman’s bikini top!” She leaps up from the table, hurling a croissant at his head.

She storms out of the restaurant, Brad trailing behind.

Maggie grimaces as Alex returns with two full plates. “Looks like it’s not rainbows and sunshine for everyone here.”

They’re on their way out of the restaurant when they’re accosted by yet another resort staffer. 

“Alex and Maggie!” A young man with dark hair hurries after them. “Where are you two off to today?”

Maggie startles at the use of their names until she recognizes him as the desk attendant that had upgraded them the night before. Now that she has met more of his coworkers, she’s fairly confident that his cheer is just required, but she grabs Alex’s hand, just in case he harbored any suspicion anyway. “We’re just headed back to our room to-”

“Nonsense!” he crows, “It's a beautiful day and we’ve got all kinds of activities available to you.”

He steers them over to the lobby, where a group of other couples are sitting at a long table filled with flowers. 

“Hey Charlie,” he greets another resort worker sitting at the head of the table, “This here is Alex and Maggie. They’re gonna make some leis with you.”

They sit down as far away from Charlie as possible, but they can’t avoid the activity. Every time he spots idle hands, he’s quick to chastise, so they follow along with his instructions as best they can. 

But of course, before Alex starts her own lei, she slips a flower petal underneath the table and scans it with the same device she had used earlier. 

“All good?” Maggie whispers, pinching a flower between her fingers.

“Clear. They’re all terrestrial,” she says, but she doesn’t sound pleased. She takes a small handful of leaves and a flower and attempts to fasten it to her lei. Several petals break off and she groans, frowning. “I didn’t expect to be doing arts and crafts.”

“Well, the best thing we can do is to blend in.” Maggie shifts her chair closer to Alex, taking the lei from her. “Here, let me show you.”

“Everything okay down there you two?” Charlie calls over.

“Just fine! My wife here is having a little trouble, so I’m just giving her some help.” 

That seems to assuage him and he turns his attention to another pair.

For a few minutes, they’re quiet, Alex watching as the lei slowly begins to take shape in Maggie’s hands. Once the final flower is placed, Maggie ties it off, slipping it over Alex’s neck. 

Alex’s fingers brush the petals and she smiles. “Thanks.”

Maggie holds her gaze. “It looks good on you.” 

They spend the rest of the day strolling through the resort, chatting whenever they’re out of earshot. They’ve had a few theories about what could be causing resort visitors to empty their savings, but so far none of their theories have panned out. 

“What if it’s some kind of alien mind control?” Maggie suggests, “Any species with that power?”

Alex shakes her head. “No, we would likely already be affected if that were the case.” 

Maggie heaves a sigh. They’ve been at the resort for 24 hours and they don’t even have one lead. 

Her watch beeps. Seven pm.

“We’ve got dinner reservations.”

“At least we know it’s not the food, I’m starving.” Alex’s stomach growls in demonstration. “We can chat about this more then.”

Unfortunately they’re not able to strategize over dinner. Maggie had assumed that they would be seated at a private table similar to breakfast, but tonight their reservation is at a hibachi restaurant. She and Alex are seated with two other couples around a hibachi grill, attended to by an exuberant chef and yet another overly attentive waiter. 

One couple is completely wrapped up in each other, not even looking up to say hello, but the other is an older couple who are thrilled to have the opportunity to chat.

“Oh Helen,” a woman with greying hair elbows her partner, “don’t they remind you of us when we were younger?”

“They do, Barbara,” Helen coos, “Oh girls, if you don’t mind us asking, how long have you two been together?”

Maggie does mind them asking, but she quickly plasters on a smile. She and Alex had cobbled together a brief cover story during their flight, practicing it several times, so the response comes easily. “Two years.” She glances at Alex for permission before placing her hand on Alex’s over the table. “But we just got married. We’re on our honeymoon.”

“Oh! That’s so wonderful!” Barbara places her elbows on the table and leans closer to them, eager to hear more. “How did you meet?”

“At work,” Alex pipes up, “I was working on an, um, _project,_ and this one tried to take it over.”

“The _project_ clearly belonged to my department.” Maggie rolls her eyes and smiles. Alex’s thumb is rubbing slow circles across the back of her hand and she has to struggle to ignore how nice it feels. 

“Young love,” Barbara sighs smiling, “That competition will keep things fresh dears.”

The quality of the food more than makes up for the awkward dinner conversation and both Maggie and Alex eat more than usual. When Maggie suggests that they take the long way back to their room to walk off their meal, Alex readily agrees. 

Their route takes them along a paved path that lines the long stretch of beach, past rows of chaise lounges and beach umbrellas that have been closed up for the night. Beside her, Alex is glued to her watch. She presses a button on the side and a small meter pops up on the digital display. It’s not a watch, Maggie realizes, but yet another type of scanner. Alex scans the area, then sighs. Another negative result.

“The stuff they’re giving you guys makes our equipment look like Easy Bake Ovens,” she says quietly. Their stretch of beach is fairly empty, but she doesn’t want to take the chance that a staff member could be lurking behind a beach chair. 

Alex snorts, “If you think this is fancy, you should see our secret underground base.” 

“Is that an invitation?” She bumps Alex with her shoulder. “Gonna show me around?”

Alex ducks her head, smiling. “Maybe.” 

A soft breeze rustles through the palm trees, swirling the salty ocean air up and around them. The temperature has fallen with the sunset, but it’s still pleasantly warm. She knows she’s only in Hawaii for an investigation, but even though she and Alex have been on alert all day, it hasn’t felt like work. 

She’s surrounded by tropical flowers and lush greenery; the views of the mountains and crystal clear waters are stunning; and she’s eating better than she ever has in her life. 

She has no complaints about the company either. 

Alex had seemed a little intense when they had first met in Lieutenant Adams’s office, but Maggie has seen a different side to Alex. She’s truly brilliant—meticulous in her work—but she’s got a wicked sense of humor too. She’s certainly smiling more than she has with any other partner. 

Maggie kicks a pebble along as they walk, watching as it bounces off into the sand. “You know, as far as undercover operations go, this could be a lot worse.” 

“Are you speaking from experience?”

Maggie shoves her hands in her pockets and shrugs. “A few. Posed as a delivery girl for a pizza shop once. We believed it was a drug front. I’ll never eat Guiseppi’s again.”

Alex laughs— music to Maggie’s ears. “I can’t believe you ever did in the first place. Everyone knows Guido’s is the best.” 

A little ways up on the beach, Maggie spots a large screen set up in front of a dozen twin chaise lounges. 

“Oh hey they’re doing a movie night.” She stops walking and points to the group, where several couples have already gathered with popcorn. She squints, trying to make out which film is being projected onto the screen. “Oh, looks like it’s Twilight.”

Alex groans, “Not Twilight.”

“Come on it could be a good time!” Maggie nudges Alex with her elbow. “We could make fun of it.”

She doesn’t really want to see the film, not even to crack jokes, but if it meant that she could spend some time getting to know Alex, she’d suffer through it. 

“My sister made me see it at the theater three times when it came out.” Alex shudders dramatically. “Never again. Not even to snark.”

“You must really love your sister.” 

“I do. I’d do anything for her.” Alex looks down at the sand, suddenly pensive. 

The comment hangs in the air and Maggie is tempted to try to dig deeper, but she doesn’t want to scare Alex off. Instead she lets it go and they set off for their room. She tries to joke about the staff, but Alex’s mood doesn’t seem to lift, even when Maggie gives her best impression of the perky hostess from the buffet. 

When they get back, they change into their pajamas wordlessly, brushing their teeth side-by-side before climbing into bed. 

This time Alex doesn’t fight her on sleeping arrangements. 

**Saturday**

Maggie wakes up with a start. 

She’d neglected to draw the curtains closed last night and the bright morning rays of the sun shine directly onto her face. She groans, holding up her hand to block the offending light from her eyes. 

Her brain catches up with her body and she realizes that Alex has drifted closer to her in her sleep, throwing an arm over Maggie’s torso and snuggling close. 

The sight makes Maggie’s heart clench. She hasn’t had a girlfriend in a long time and she’s forgotten how nice it feels to wake up to someone. 

Although, she’s never woken up with someone as attractive as Alex Danvers. She shifts to face her partner and Alex’s nose wrinkles, but she remains asleep. The urge to run her fingers through Alex’s tousled hair is strong and it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to press soft kisses onto Alex’s skin, until she wakes with a smile. 

She knows this is a dangerous line of thought. She and Alex aren’t together. They’re not actually wives— they’re not even girlfriends. 

But if things had been different… If they’d met at the bar or a coffee shop, she could have asked Alex out without wondering whether the connection she felt between them was genuine or just part of the job. 

Maggie carefully extracts herself from Alex’s embrace, feeling a pang of guilt when she whimpers, burrowing her face into Maggie’s pillow. 

She retreats to the bathroom and lets the scalding water wash those thoughts down the drain. 

When she returns, wrapped in a fluffy hotel bathrobe, Alex is awake. They trade places once more, Alex looking everywhere but at Maggie as she dashes off to the bathroom. 

Maggie hopes she didn’t imagine the color on Alex’s cheeks. 

Once they’re both dressed, they head down to the restaurant for breakfast. They’re seated at the same table as the day before and she orders coffee as Alex ducks off to the buffet— something that is quickly becoming a ritual. 

Maggie takes a sip of her coffee. Alex comes back with two plates. 

“Hey, it’s the cheater...” she says as Alex sets an açaí bowl in front of her. Two tables away, Brad and Karen are halfway through their own breakfasts. 

Alex takes her seat across from Maggie. Her own plate is laden with smoked salmon, potatoes, and what looks like corned beef hash. She chews thoughtfully on a potato, following Maggie’s gaze. “Yeah, but they seem… different.” 

The couple in question leans closer together, kissing across the table. Brad feeds Karen a piece of bacon and Maggie pulls a face. She can hardly believe this is the same couple she had seen the day before. They had been at each other’s throats before storming away. Now, they’re reciting love poems in between bites of toast.

It’s strange to say the least.

“So,” Alex says, pulling out the schedule of activities that had been left outside their door. “We could check out the beach today, but it looks cloudy. It’s possible it’ll clear up, but…”

“But I have a feeling it won’t be packed,” Maggie finishes. She glances back over at the couple. “I wonder what those two have planned.”

Brad and Karen had been the only two people they’d encountered that didn’t seem to be completely enamored with the resort. They didn’t seem to be enamored with each other anymore either, judging by Karen’s tirade at the buffet. At least, they weren’t until this morning. The eternal joy that the staff radiated had been off-putting from the beginning, and to see it mirrored in the guests… That piqued Maggie’s interest.

Alex’s eyes light up with a mischievous glint. “You’re thinking we tail them?”

“They are our best lead.” Maggie sets down her fork. “Let’s do a little intel gathering. Find out what they’ve got planned.”

On the way out of the restaurant, Maggie loops her arm through Alex’s and saunters by Brad and Karen’s table. 

“Honey, look! There’s a waterfall hike scheduled for this afternoon.” Karen jabs a finger at her schedule excitedly as she chats with her husband. “You’ve always talked about wanting to hike more.”

“So sorry to interrupt!” Maggie flashes them a bright smile as she and Alex approach, trying to mimic the effusiveness they’d been exhibiting. “But we just overheard you say that there was a waterfall hike?”

Karen turns to them, grinning. “Yes! It says right here it’s supposed to be _super_ romantic. Are you two going as well?”

Now that Maggie is closer to the other couple, she notices that their smiles don’t quite meet their eyes. In fact, their eyes don’t reveal much emotion at all, they’re glossy and their pupils are mildly constricted. Maggie isn’t a doctor, but she’s familiar with the signs of heavy drug use, so it’s possible Brad and Karen have just been engaging in some extracurricular activities, but she wonders if there’s something else at work. 

She turns to Alex. “I don’t know… What do you think, babe?”

“Well… I don’t know...” Alex taps her finger on her chin like she’s really considering it. Maggie has to give her credit for her acting skills because Karen jumps in to convince her.

“You two have to come,” she stresses, “it’ll be a double date! The tour leaves in an hour!”

“Alright. We’ll meet you in the lobby.” Alex smiles, and as soon as they’re back in the elevator she breaks into laughter. “I can’t believe that was so easy.”

“There’s definitely something up with them.” Maggie slips the room key into the slot, opening the door for Alex when the light turns green. “Did you see how Karen’s eyes glossed over?”

Maggie fills Alex in on her theory through the bathroom door as they change into their swimsuits. She pulls her hair into a messy bun and double checks her reflection. Just as she’s opening the bathroom door, she remembers the complimentary spa basket. 

“Hey Alex,” she calls, “do you need any sunscreen?”

Maggie herself hadn’t been planning to apply any. They’ll be in the jungle and she’ll be covered up most of the day, but Alex is fairly pale. She looks like she burns pretty easily. 

“Nah.” Alex’s voice is muffled by the door. “It’s cloudy, I should be fine.”

Maggie joins her in the bedroom, where she’s buttoning yet another brightly colored button down. She offers Alex the bottle. “Alex, come on.”

Alex shakes her head. “I’ll bring a hat.”

Maggie rolls her eyes, but relents, setting the sunscreen back in the bathroom on their way out.

~

Maggie has always thought Alex was attractive, even when she was scowling at her or giving her the cold shoulder on the plane. She’s always been able to control herself though. She’s kept it professional, logic triumphing over the part of her brain that urges her to push Alex up against a wall and kiss her senseless. 

But now, as she watches Alex strip off her shirt to reveal a bikini before diving gracefully off a cliff and into the water below, her brain completely shuts down. 

Alex surfaces, shaking the water from her short hair like she’s a goddamn _model_ and Maggie’s mouth runs dry. Alex isn’t just attractive, she’s gorgeous, and Maggie is so incredibly gay. 

Thankfully, by the time they catch up with their marks, her brain has had time to reboot. Brad and Karen are seated near a large picnic blanket filled with snacks that their guide had brought from the resort. 

Alex tugs Maggie down to sit with them and opens a bottle of water, offering it to Maggie. “So what brought you guys here?” she asks.

“I won the trip at a Wedding Expo!” Karen beams, her high ponytail bobbing as she talks. “My girlfriend Linda is getting married in a few months and I’m the maid of honor.”

Maggie arches an eyebrow. That’s an interesting development. “You didn’t pay to come at all?”

“Nope.” Brad cuts in. “Everything was free. I couldn’t believe it when she told me.”

Karen smiles lovingly at her husband. “Brad, come on let’s go jump off the waterfall!”

“Of course, babe!” he said, just too enthusiastically.

They leave Alex and Maggie alone on the blanket with more questions than they had before. They spend the rest of the outing enjoying the outdoors, but the case still lingers at the back of Maggie’s mind.

What had happened to Brad and Karen between breakfast yesterday and this morning? Alex had checked the food, the flowers, the alcohol— all clear. There were no out of the ordinary energy readings, no obvious alien species. And it couldn’t be the resort itself, because they’ve been away all day and Brad and Karen were still acting as loved-up as they had been in the morning.

They’re both exhausted when they get back to the resort and rather than deal with another potentially awkward shared dinner, they decide to order room service again. 

Their meal tonight arrives promptly, wheeled in yet again on a shining silver tray. For the first time since they arrived, the staff member looks at them curiously. “You guys didn’t want to enjoy the barbeque tonight?”

Maggie’s heart rate picks up. She glances at Alex, who is seated outside on their balcony overlooking the ocean, and forces a smile at the man. “We kinda just wanted to spend some time alone. Our honeymoon and all,” she stresses, hoping he doesn’t press. It’s not entirely a lie. After spending the whole day constantly on edge so that they didn’t arouse suspicion, she’s looking forward to letting her guard down with Alex.

Thankfully, he seems to accept her explanation because he gives her a wink. “Gotcha. Ah, young love!”

“Yep, we’re absolutely crazy about each other.” 

Finally he leaves and Maggie breathes a sigh of relief. She brings the plates outside and sets them on the table. Alex scoots over on the bench seat and Maggie settles beside her. They eat dinner in silence, both famished from the day, but after their stomachs are full, they get lost in conversation as the sun dips below the horizon. 

She doesn’t expect to open up, but there’s something about Alex that makes her feel safe, listened to. She finds herself spilling her entire life story: the horrible Valentine’s Day when she was fourteen that led to her parents kicking her out, going to the police academy in Gotham then transferring to National City, her last breakup where her ex called her a workaholic and borderline sociopath. When tears trickle down her face, Alex is there to wipe them away. To pull her closer and tell her that she deserves better. 

Alex surprises her by seeing those vulnerabilities and sharing her own. How she hadn’t come out until recently because she’d spent so much of her life trying to be perfect. Trying to meet her mother’s lofty expectations and to keep her sister safe. There’s something there that doesn’t quite add up to Maggie, but she lets it go because Alex is shaking her head in disbelief, crying because she feels like she missed out on so much because it took her nearly thirty years to figure out who she was. 

When they’re both red-eyed and drained, they cuddle together under a blanket that Alex has brought outside and stare out at the stars. 

It’s long past midnight, but Maggie doesn’t care. Not when Alex is pointing out constellations and telling her stories of gods and monsters, her eyes brighter and more beautiful than any celestial object. 

“—Maggie, are you listening?” Her nose wrinkles up and even though her face is a little puffy, she’s the most beautiful woman Maggie has ever seen.

“I’m listening.” 

“Then what did I just say?” 

Maggie scratches the back of her head. “Something about Mars?” 

Alex smacks her in the arm playfully. “Not even close.” 

She turns back to the sea, waves lapping at the shore. Her voice is wistful. “This reminds me of back home… in Midvale. It’s just… really beautiful.”

“You are.” Maggie knows it’s a cliche, but when Alex is sitting next to her, she can’t focus on the waves or the stars or the way the moon casts the resort below in an ethereal glow. A blush rises on Alex’s cheeks but she doesn’t break eye contact with the horizon.

She wonders if Alex knows about the depth of her feelings. If she’s figured out that Maggie doesn’t need to pretend anymore. 

Then their eyes meet and Alex’s gaze flickers between her eyes and her lips and Maggie dares to hope that maybe Alex feels the same way. 

Alex closes her eyes and leans in, but suddenly that part of Maggie’s heart that had filled with hope freezes over in fear. She knows that she likes Alex. What she’s feeling is real. But they’re not here to spend time with each other. They’re here to solve a case and Maggie has let herself become distracted. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she spots the sun peeking up over the horizon and before she can stop herself, the words “the sun is almost up” are tumbling out of her mouth.

Alex jerks back, her face flushed in embarrassment. “I- I’m so sorry. I didn’t- I just- I thought-” she babbles, leaping up from the bench seat. 

Maggie is quick to follow. “Hey, no it’s okay!” 

She reaches out to Alex, but Alex curls her arms around herself and steps backwards toward the bedroom and away from Maggie. “It’s- You’re right it’s morning. We should really, uh, we should get a few hours of sleep if we’re gonna make the most of our last day.”

Before Maggie can say anything more, Alex disappears inside. 

_Fuck._ She curses herself silently. Now Alex thinks that she didn’t want to kiss her, which is so far from the truth. 

She heads back inside to make things right, but Alex is already curled up in bed, facing towards the wall. She’s not sure if Alex is still awake, but she knows she’s missed her chance.

**Sunday**

“Fuck,” Maggie swears, checking the day’s schedule, “We missed breakfast.”

“Sorry we should have gone to sleep earlier,” Alex says, pulling on a tank top over her bathing suit. Her fingers linger at the hem. She’s been avoiding Maggie since they woke up. The few hours of sleep they’d gotten hadn’t been enough to chase away the humiliation. 

Maggie knows that if she doesn’t try to make things right now, she may never get the chance again. She lifts Alex’s chin, gently lifting until she’s looking her in the eye. “I had a great time.” 

“Yeah?” Insecurity shines in her eyes. 

“Yeah.” 

She hopes Alex can see what she isn’t saying. _I like you. I regret not kissing you. I wish we were here under other circumstances._

The corner of her mouth twitches with the hint of a smile and Maggie thinks she does understand. 

“Well,” Maggie clears her throat, moving to gather her day bag. “The only place we haven’t scouted out is the beach.”

“Right,” Alex nods firmly. With her Agent Danvers persona back in place, they’re back to business. “There’s got to be something there that we’ve missed. Speaking of missed. Have you seen the sunscreen?”

Maggie ducks inside the bathroom and tosses the bottle to Alex. She pulls her ponytail through her National City Pelicans baseball cap. 

“Do you need any?” Alex holds out the bottle to Maggie, as she finishes slathering the stuff over her nose.

“Nah, I haven’t had a chance to tan all weekend.”

Alex makes a sound like _tsk tsk,_ but she doesn’t force the issue, throws the bottle into her bag, and together they head down to the beach. Maggie scans the area looking for anything out of the ordinary, but nothing jumps out at her. There are a few couples sunbathing and splashing around in the water, but it seems strangely sparse. Although, she thinks, it is Sunday. It’s possible that many couples have already checked out of the resort.

One thing she does notice is the absence of Karen and Brad.

“Damn, our only lead is gone.” 

Alex sets a hand on her shoulder. “Forget about Karen and Brad. It’s a beautiful day. Let’s just relax. We’ll find another lead.”

“I know, but we do need to get something before we leave tonight.”

“I know we will. Come on, babe, I see an empty hammock.”

It’s a little odd that Alex is calling her “babe” when there’s no one around, but Maggie can’t say that she minds. She’d thought she had ruined everything last night. 

Alex climbs into the hammock and stretches out languidly. She pats the netting beside her. “Come on, join me.”

Maggie hesitates. There aren’t any other open hammocks around, so there’s really no excuse for her not to join Alex, but there’s something about the situation that feels wrong. 

Alex draws her lip down into a pout. “Maggie?”

It’s probably nothing. Maggie remembers Alex telling her about growing up in Midvale. She must just be excited to be at the beach. It’s just nostalgia. 

She slides into the hammock, Alex shifting over until she’s cuddled up on her side, one arm across Maggie’s waist. 

The hammock rocks gently and Maggie feels her body relax as the sound of the rolling waves washes over her. 

Alex’s fingers trace her hip bone idly. “I’m really happy we’re partners,” she mumbles into Maggie’s neck. 

Maggie feels the nerves under Alex’s fingertips alight and she grins, remembering how Alex had protested when they’d first been assigned the case. “You don’t wish you’d taken Agent Schott instead?”

“No.” Alex’s eyes are soft and a little unfocused, but Maggie chalks it up to the sunshine. She feels a little drunk on Alex too. She can smell the coconut scented sunscreen. “I wouldn’t want to be here with anyone else.”

Maggie’s heart stutters. Maybe she hadn’t ruined things last night when she pulled away. “Alex…”

This time, when Alex leans in, Maggie meets her halfway. 

She’s been hesitant to enjoy herself too much this weekend. She knows she has a job to do, but when Alex is kissing her everything else just falls away. The case, the overly cheerful staff, Brad and Karen. Nothing matters. Just her and Alex in a hammock on a beach. 

Alex presses a kiss to her neck and sighs. “This is paradise. I wish we could just stay on this island forever.”

Maggie isn’t sure about the island, but being with Alex doesn’t sound half bad. She’s already planning their first date back in National City. She trails a hand down Alex’s back, warmed from the sun. “This really is perfect.” 

Alex props herself up on one elbow, the hammock swaying as she hovers over Maggie. “Let’s do it. Let’s go book another weekend,” she says, eyes wide. “Maybe even the whole month?” 

Maggie frowns. Last night, Alex had stressed the importance of her family. Would she really drop everything for a longer vacation? Alarm bells are ringing inside her head. 

“How about we just start with a swim?” she suggests. 

Alex brightens, nearly toppling Maggie out of the hammock when she sits up. She reaches for the sunscreen from her beach bag. “Will you do my back?”

Maggie nods, taking the bottle and squirting a large dollop into her palm. She spreads it out over the expanse of Alex’s back, but as she’s rubbing it in, her vision grows hazy. She blinks, but it doesn’t clear. She feels dizzy. “Hang on a sec.”

She looks out at the beach. There’s no one around. No one—not even the staff—is paying them any attention. She hasn’t had breakfast, or even coffee.

She looks down at her hands, still covered in half-rubbed in sunscreen.

Wait.

“Alex, it’s the sunscreen!” She rubs the excess off on her cutoff shorts, then tosses the bottle back into the beach bag. “That’s it! I put the sunscreen on and I felt like the world was spinning. I think it’s making people happy—like Brad and Karen— it makes them want to stay longer, to spend more money. It dulls their senses enough that they can’t recall what’s happening!”

“Hmm?” Alex’s eyes are glossy, just like Karen’s had been. 

They’ve got it. “Alex give me your phone, I have to call Adams.”

~

After Maggie’s call, the DEO had flown in to sweep the place and arrest the owner. 

J’onn had given them the option of flying back on a DEO jet, but Maggie had some unfinished business that she needed to work out. 

Pacing the floor of the honeymoon suite, she goes over every detail of the weekend. Alex had kissed her on the beach, but she can’t be sure that Alex meant it. She’d been affected by the sunscreen, but then they’d almost kissed the night before that...

The bathroom door opens and steam escapes into the room. Alex emerges, skin rubbed raw, interrupting Maggie’s internal war.

“Hey…” She towels off her hair, avoiding Maggie’s gaze. “Looks like you cracked the case without my help after all.”

“No, Alex-” 

“Please, Maggie, you deserve the credit.”

Maggie struggles with something to say to make Alex feel better. The truth is, she wouldn’t have solved the case unless Alex had used the sunscreen, but that would just feed into Alex’s feelings of uselessness.

And it doesn’t matter who gets the credit. She’d gladly give it all to the feds if she can get the answer to the one question she actually does care about.

“Do you uh- what do you remember?” she asks.

Alex bites her lip. “I remember last night. Then…” She trails off, shrugging.

“Ah.”

She doesn’t remember. 

“Maggie did… Did something happen?” Alex’s voice is small, pleading, and Maggie needs to be honest.

“You uh… We kissed.” 

“Oh.”

“Oh.” She wrings her hands together, staring down at her lap. She can’t bear to look at Alex’s face when she rejects her. “I’m so sorry Alex, I-“ 

“I wish I remembered that,” Alex cuts in.

“What?” Maggie’s head whips back up.

“I’ve been wanting to kiss you for days.” Alex pushes her wet hair behind her ear and grins. “I can’t believe I don’t even get to remember our first kiss!”

Maggie thinks her smile must be as wide as the clerk’s at the reception desk. “I could do it again, maybe it’ll jog your memory?”

Alex responds by kissing her. 

Later, when they’re sitting together in first class on their flight home, Maggie asks Alex out and Alex says yes.

Just as long as their first date isn’t at the beach.


End file.
